U.S. patent number 7,433,459 [Application Number 11/141,166] was granted by the patent office on 2008-10-07 for methods and apparatus for providing telephone support for internet sales.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Verizon Services Corp.. Invention is credited to Suzi Levas, Craig L. Reding.
United States Patent |
7,433,459 |
Reding , et al. |
October 7, 2008 |
Methods and apparatus for providing telephone support for internet
sales
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for providing manned, e.g., live customer
support to customers, e.g., people using the Internet to purchase
goods and/or services are described. A person viewing a Web Site,
e.g., a customer, is presented with a button which provides the
opportunity to talk to a customer service representative. Upon
activating the button, e.g., by clicking on it, the customer's
computer or other Internet browser device sends a signal, e.g., a
call request message, over the Internet indicating that the
customer wants to talk with a service representative. The call
request message includes the customer's telephone number and/or IP
address. In response to the call request message, calling equipment
is used to establish a customer service call between the customer
and a customer service representative. The equipment can be owned
by the telephone company thereby avoiding the need for E-business
companies to make investments in telephone equipment. In addition,
a customer service representative can be located either at the
E-business site or remotely, e.g., at the customer service
representative's private home or other site, with the
representative being called by the conference equipment as required
to service a customer. Voice over IP conference equipment may be
used instead or in conjunction with telephone conference equipment
where one or both of the customer and service representative have
voice over IP capability.
Inventors: |
Reding; Craig L. (Midland Park,
NJ), Levas; Suzi (Nanuet, NY) |
Assignee: |
Verizon Services Corp.
(Arlington, VA)
|
Family
ID: |
35054296 |
Appl.
No.: |
11/141,166 |
Filed: |
May 31, 2005 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20050220289 A1 |
Oct 6, 2005 |
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Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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09596466 |
Jun 19, 2000 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
379/265.09;
370/352; 379/210.01; 379/265.12; 709/206; 709/227 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04M
7/003 (20130101); H04M 7/006 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H04M
3/523 (20060101); G06F 15/16 (20060101); H04L
12/28 (20060101); H04L 12/66 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;379/265.12,210.01,265.09,265.11,265.13 ;370/352
;709/204,206,227 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Hong; Harry S.
Parent Case Text
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This is a continuation of prior U.S. patent application Ser. No.
09/596,466, filed Jun. 19, 2000, now abandoned entitled "METHODS
AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING TELEPHONE SUPPORT FOR INTERNET SALES."
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method comprising: receiving a message from a user over an IP
network representing a request for a call with a customer service
representative, said message including an address corresponding to
a server obtained from a web page, an internet address
corresponding to the user, web page information and a note from the
user indicating one of the purpose and planned subject of the call;
in response to said message from a user, operating said server to;
i) identify a customer service representative who can service the
request for a call; ii) send a customer service call initiation
message to equipment capable of initiating a call, said call
initiation message including an equipment address corresponding to
the equipment to which the customer service call initiation message
is directed, one of an internet address and telephone number
corresponding to said customer service representative; a business
identifier; and the internet address corresponding to said user;
and operating, in response to said customer service call initiation
message, said equipment to establish a call between said user and
the customer service representative said step of establishing a
call between said user and said customer service representative
including: i) initiating a call to the user; ii) initiating a call
to said customer representative after said user has answered the
call; and iii) bridging the call to the user and the call to the
customer representative.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said
customer service call initiating message is encrypted.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein said call customer service call
initiation message from said server further includes: a
password.
4. The method of claim 3, further comprising: using said business
identifier to identify a business to be billed for said call
between said user and the customer service representative.
5. The method of claim 4, further comprising: using said password
to ensure that the business identified by said business identifier
is the party sending the call initiation message.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein said identified customer service
representative is located at a home residence; and wherein said
equipment capable of initiating a call is located at a telephone
company site.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein said telephone company site is
different from a business site owned by the identified
business.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein said server is a server
corresponding to the identified business.
9. The method of claim 7, wherein said internet address
corresponding to the user and said internet address corresponding
to said customer service representative are IP addresses.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to communications systems and,
more particularly, to methods and apparatus for providing telephone
services in response to signals received over the Internet.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Electronic commerce is growing at an astonishing rate and is likely
to capture an ever growing segment of retail and business sales
from conventional stores.
One particularly attractive feature of Internet commerce is the
relatively low entry costs, in terms of physical overhead,
associated with starting an E-commerce business. An E-commerce
business can be started with little more than a Web server for
hosting the business's Web site, and the staff and accessories
needed to ship and bill for products ordered over the Internet.
Rent and other business overhead can be minimized by locating the
E-commerce business at a relatively remote location where building
rents are low while high speed Internet access and shipping
services are still accessible.
Initially, many small E-commerce businesses are started out of
peoples homes or existing business sites with a minimal amount of
investment in physical hardware.
From a consumer standpoint, ordering of goods and/or services via
the Internet offers many advantages. often the goods are offered at
a lower price than that charged by conventional retailers. In
addition, the vast number of businesses which can be accessed via
the Internet allows customers the ability to order both common and
hard to find goods and services from the convenience of their
home.
Internet orders are usually made via the exchange of electronic
information between a customer's computer and a Web server hosting
an E-business Web site to which the order is directed. The order
process is normally an automated one which lacks any live human
involvement on the part of the E-business retailer.
Many potential E-business customers find the lack of human
involvement on the part of the E-business retailer unsatisfactory.
In the case of expensive purchases, customers often seek an oral
acknowledgement from a human being that the order was received and
is being processed properly. This is often exhibited in the form of
a telephone call being placed by the customer to the E-business
after an order is mare.
The inability to orally present questions to a sales representative
during an E-business transaction is another area which many
potential E-business customers find unsatisfactory. In many cases,
sales are lost because a customer does not want to present their
questions in E-mail form.
Another complaint with E-commerce is that many businesses which
sell over the Internet have poor customer support. In many cases,
people complain about being unable to contact service
representative to discuss the status of an order or other order
related problems.
Large electronic retailers can make significant investments in
telephone equipment such as PBXs which can be used in placing calls
to customers and servicing calls received from customers. However,
many smaller E-commerce start-up are unwilling or unable to make
such investments in telephone equipment.
The cost associated with PBX and other telephone equipment is one
reason Internet businesses have poor telephone support. Another
reason is the cost associated with having people available to
respond to questions which may be raised 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week.
Often the demand to speak with sales representatives and customer
service people will vary during different times of the day.
Unfortunately, sales representatives who have to commute to work
are often unwilling to work only a few hours a day or with large
intervals of unpaid breaks, e.g., several hours, between work
periods. Thus, in order to have customer service representatives
available to satisfy peak demands often means that service
representatives will need to be paid for off-peak periods of time
during which they may be idle.
In view of the above discussion, it is apparent that there is a
need to improve the ability of E-commerce customers to interact,
e.g., over the telephone, with service representatives. There is
also a need for methods of providing Internet businesses the
ability to provide telephone support to Internet customers without
having to make substantial investments in telephone equipment such
as PBXs. It is also desirable that at Least some methods reduce or
eliminate the need for customer service representatives to commute
to a centralized location or office to work.
The business's Internet server receives the call request message
and identifies an available customer service representative who can
service the call request. Once a customer service representative is
assigned to handle a call request, relevant information is
transmitted to a computer used by the identified customer
representative via, e.g., the Internet or a local area network
(LAN). In addition, a customer service call is initiated between
the customer and the identified customer service representative
using, e.g., the customer telephone number information included in
the call request message or a customer telephone number retrieved
from a database.
The customer service call may be initiated by sending, in the form
of a customer service call initiation message, a telephone switch,
conference bridge, intelligent peripheral device, AIN circuitry
such as an ISCP (integrated service control point) or other
telephone equipment with call initiation capability, the telephone
number of the customer to be called and the telephone number of the
service representative. The customer service call information may
be transmitted via the Internet or a LAN to the device which is
responsible for establishing the customer service call. In addition
to the telephone number information, the customer service call
initiating message may include, e.g., a business identifier and/or
password. The business identifier is used for billing purposes
while the password is used to ensure that the identified business
is the party requesting the customer service call. All or portions
of the customer service call initiating message may be
encrypted.
In order to use customer representatives' time in an efficient
manner, the calling equipment may be programmed to call the
customer first. Once the customer answers the phone, an automated
message is played to the customer requesting that the customer hold
while being connected to a customer service representative. An
exemplary message played to the customer may be, e.g., "Please hold
while we connect you to a ABC company customer representative.",
where ABC is the name of the company identified in the customer
service call initiating message or call request message. While the
customer is being played the message, the calling equipment calls
the customer service representative and bridges the calls between
the sales representative and the customer. In such an embodiment,
the customer service representative's time is not wasted waiting
for the customer to answer the phone or on calls which go
unanswered by the customer.
The above discussed technique of establishing a customer service
call between a customer viewing a Web site and a customer service
representative has several advantages. From a customer's
perspective, it allows a customer to talk with a customer
representative without having to place a call often while still
viewing the Web page which was responsible for prompting the desire
to talk to a customer representative in the first place. From an
E-business perspective, it allows for such calls to be placed
without having to make an investment in telephone calling equipment
such as a PBX, call bridging equipment, conference calling
equipment or other expensive telephone equipment. This is because,
in accordance with the present invention, such equipment may be
owned and located at a telephone company site as opposed to the
E-business owner's site. The above described method also allows for
efficient use of customer representatives' time and allows customer
representatives to work from home if desired. Since customer
representatives can work from home, they may be more willing to
work part time, split shifts, or work at unusual hours such as
nights, weekends or late evenings since they can do so from the
comfort and convenience of their own homes.
While the methods of the present invention have been discussed
above in the case of an embodiment where the call request message
is first transmitted to a company's Internet server, the call
request message may be transmitted directly from the customer's
computer to telephone equipment having call initiation and,
optionally, call bridging capabilities, e.g., via the Internet. In
such an embodiment, the telephone number of the agent to be
contacted, or, e.g., an 800 number corresponding to a customer
service center, may be incorporated into the customer's call
request message in addition to the customer's telephone number.
This telephone number may be obtained from information included in
the Web page which included the button which was responsible for
initiating the generation of the call request message.
Alternatively, the calling equipment may be responsible for
identifying the telephone number of an available customer service
representative using a business identifier included in the call
request message and any one of a number of known automated call
distribution techniques.
After identifying the telephone number of the service agent to be
used in a customer service call, in response to the call request
message, the calling equipment establishes a call between the
customer and customer service representative, e.g., in the manner
discussed above.
In the above manner, the methods and apparatus of the present
invention can be used to facilitate E-business transactions, reduce
or eliminate the need for E-businesses to make substantial
investments in telephone equipment and, at the same time, provide a
customer service representative greater opportunities to work from
home.
The methods of the present invention can be used to provide
customer support using voice over IP as opposed to voice over the
telephone. In such an embodiment, IP calling equipment is
substituted for the described telephone calling equipment. In
addition, Internet, e.g., IP, addresses are substituted for
telephone numbers.
Various additional features and advantages of the present invention
will be apparent from the detailed description which follows.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 illustrates a communication system implemented in accordance
with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 illustrates a computer system suitable for use by an
E-business customer in the system of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 illustrates a computer system that may be used as the
business Web server of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary Web page displayed on a display
device in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating various steps performed by a
consumer's computer system in accordance with the present
invention.
FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating various steps performed by a
consumer's Web server in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 7 illustrates a first exemplary call request message.
FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary customer service call initiation
message.
FIG. 9 illustrates a second exemplary call request message.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
As discussed above, the present invention is directed to methods
and apparatus which can be used to provide live, e.g., telephone
based, customer support to customers, e.g., people using the
Internet to purchase goods and services.
FIG. 1 illustrates a communications system implemented in
accordance with the present invention. As illustrated, the system
100 includes first through fourth customer premises 22, 24, 20,
28,a telephone network 71, business site 50, a separate
computerized sales site 59 and the Internet 30. The Internet
connects the various components together so that messages, data and
information can be transmitted between the system components using,
e.g., TCP/IP.
The first customer premise includes a computer system 36 and a
telephone 38. The computer system 36 is coupled to the Internet 30.
While not discussed in detail herein, the telephone network 71 may
be used to connect customer premises to the Internet 30. The
telephone 38 is coupled to a telephone switch, e.g., a signal
switching point 62, of the telephone network 71.
The computer system 36 may be used by an individual, e.g., a
customer, located at the first customer premises 22, to browse the
World Wide Web, e.g., for purposes of shopping on-line. The
telephone 38 may be used by the customer to make and receive calls.
Assuming that the customer has DSL, ISDN or multiple telephone
lines or another connection to the Internet which does not prohibit
voice calls over the phone 38 while the computer system 36 is
"on-line", e.g., in active contact with the Internet, the customer
may be contacted by a customer service representative via telephone
38 while still on-line using the computer 36.
Each of the second, third and fourth subscriber premises 24, 26, 28
may include a computer 36 and telephone 38. In such an embodiment,
each subscriber premises would be connected to the Internet 30 as
well as the telephone network 71.
While on-line, the customer may access, view and respond to Web
pages presented to the customer from business site 50. Business
site 50 includes a Web server 52 and a plurality of sales
positions, e.g., sales positions 1 (54) through N (55). Each sales
position 54, 55 includes a telephone 56, 56' and a computer 58,
58'. The telephone 56, 56' is coupled to the telephone network 71
while the computer 58, 58' is coupled to the Web business server
52. A customer representative, e.g., a live human sales
representative, can talk with customers via the telephone 56, 56'
while accessing Web page information, customer information, and/or
entering sales order information using the computer 58 or 58'.
The Web Business server 52 performs a variety of functions
including Web Page hosting, maintaining of sales information and
records, assignment of customer representatives to service
particular customers and the generation of customer service call
initiation messages. In one embodiment, the server 52 maintains
information on customer service representative availability and
assigns customer call requests to particular customer service
representatives and sales positions, as a function of sales
representative's availability and/or expertise.
Note that in the FIG. 1 embodiment, the business site 50 does not
include a PBX or other telephone equipment. Since the telephone
network and telephone conferencing equipment included therein is
used to support customer service calls, the need for a PBX is
avoided. However, in some embodiments, it is contemplated that a
PBX would be included at the business site, with the telephone
network providing call initiation and bridging capability, e.g.,
for remote customer service representatives such as the one located
at remote sales site 59.
The remote sales site 59, like sales positions 1 through N,
includes a telephone 56'' and computer 58''. Sales site 59 may be,
e.g., the home of a customer service representative. The computer
is coupled to the Web business server via the Internet 30 while the
telephone 56'' is coupled to the telephone network 71. Sales
information, customer service representative availability
information, customer information as well as other business
information can be exchanged between the Web business server 52 and
the computer 58'' via the Internet. Communications between the
computer 58'' and business Web server 52 may be encrypted for
security purposes. Customer service calls including calls initiated
in response to a call request message sent to the Web server 52 can
be handled from phone 56''. Because computer and telephone customer
service support can be implemented from any site equipped with a
computer and a telephone, the calling techniques of the present
invention allow human customer service representatives to work from
home if desired.
The telephone network 71 includes operational switching network
(OSN) 74, a plurality of signal switching points 62, 64, 66, a
mobile telephone switching office 65, an antenna 67, a plurality of
signal transfer points (STPs), and an Internet access server 72.
The OSN couples together the Internet access server 72, and SSPs
62, 64, 66. The OSN 74 is a TCP/IP based network which allows
telephone switches, the Internet Access server, telephone operator
stations, and other telephone network devices to exchange data as
well as control and switching information. Accordingly, OSN 74 can
be used to transmit control signals used for establishing customer
service calls to various components of the telephone network
71.
The SSPs 62, 64, 66 may be implemented using telephone switches
with call bridging/conferencing capability, e.g., Class V telephone
switches. The signal transfer points 68, 70 link the SSPs and MTSO
68 together via signaling and data lines over which information can
be communicated between the SSPs in accordance with signaling
system seven (SS7).
In addition to being coupled to the OSN 74 and STPs, the SSP 62,
64, 66 may also be coupled to the Internet and/or one or more
peripheral devices 76. Such devices are sometimes referred to as
intelligent peripherals (IPs) because they perform logic functions
in addition to providing conference bridges, speech recognition
circuits and other telephone switch peripheral devices. The
illustrated IP includes an input/output interface 73 for coupling
the IP 76 to the Internet and to the SSP 62. it also includes
calling logic 80 used for establishing customer service calls in
response to customer service call request messages and/or customer
service call initiation messages received via the Internet 30.
The telephone networks Internet access server 72 interfaces between
the Internet 30 and the OSN 74. The Internet Access server 72
provides security, e.g., it serves as a firewall, to insure that
unauthorized users are not granted access to the OSN 74 and thereby
permitted to control telephone switch operation. Customer service
call request messages may be sent via the Internet to the Internet
Access server 72. If the businesses sending the customer service
call request message is recognized as a customer service call
service subscriber, and the sender's PIN or password is confirmed,
the Internet Access Server will proceed to establish the requested
customer service call by passing the necessary customer service
call setup instructions and data to one of the telephone switches,
e.g., SSPs 62, 64, 66, via the OSN 74.
Thus, a customer service call may be initiated by sending a message
over the Internet to the IP 76 or to the Internet access server.
Alternatively, a call conference may be initiated by sending a call
request message or a customer service call initiation message
directly to a telephone network switch, e.g., SSP 62, which has an
Internet interface. In the case where telephone switches are
allowed to receive messages and data directly from the Internet,
firewall protection is incorporated into the switch's Internet
interface to reduce the possibility of unauthorized use and/or
control of the telephone switch.
FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary computer system 36 which may be
used by a customer browsing the Internet. The computer system 36
comprises a CPU 212, modem 214, NIC 216, memory 218 and an
input/output (I/O) interface 206 which are coupled together by a
bus 201. The I/O interface 206 couples a plurality of input/output
devices, including a display 202, speakers 204, keyboard 208 and
MIC 210, to the bus 201.
The memory 218 includes applications as well as data that may be
executed and/or processed by the CPU 212. In particular, memory 218
includes a web browser 220, an operating system 222, a voice over
IP routine 232, and user information 224. The user information 224
includes a phone number 226 and an IP address 228, e.g., the phone
number and IP address of the customer using the computer system 36.
The computer system 36 may be coupled to the Internet via the modem
214. Alternatively it may be connected to the Internet through a
computer network to which the computer system is coupled via
network interface card (NIC) 216.
The user of the computer system 36 may supply his or her phone
number to the computer system 36 for future use when being
contacted, e.g., by a customer service representative, at the time
the operating system 222 is installed, when the web browser 220 is
installed, or at the time the customer activates a button on a web
page requesting that a customer service representative contact
them.
FIG. 3 illustrates a business Web server that may be used as the
Web server 52 illustrated in FIG. 1. As illustrated, the Web server
includes many of the same components as the computer system
illustrated in FIG. 2. The business Web server includes a bus 201
which couples a CPU 312, modem 314, NIC 316, memory 318 and an
input/output (I/O) interface 306 together. The I/O interface 306
couples a plurality of input/output devices, including a display
302, speakers 304, and keyboard 308 to the bus 201.
The memory 318 includes applications as well as data that may be
executed and/or processed by the CPU 312. In particular, memory 318
includes a web browser 320, an operating system 322, a voice over
IP routine 332, order information 321, customer information 324,
customer service representative information 331, web page server
routine 330, and an automated call distribution routine 338.
A voice over IP routine can be used to communicate and receive
voice signals, e.g., to support audio communications over the
Internet with a customer. Order information 321 includes
information on received orders, e.g., orders for products offered
for sale on the business's web page. Customer information 324
includes customer name and address information and, in some
embodiments, phone number 326 and IP address information 328. The
phone number 326 and/or IP address information can be used to
contact the customer, e.g., in response to a request to be called
by a customer service representative. The stored phone number and
IP address information may correspond to information previously
obtained from the customer.
Customer service representative information 331 includes customer
representative availability information 337, customer service
representative phone number information 334, and IP addresses
information 336. The customer representative availability
information 337 indicates when a customer service representative is
available to handle customer service calls, e.g., is logged onto
the representative computer system. This information can be
supplemented with information received from the customer service
representative's computer regarding the status of the
representative at any given moment in time, e.g., information
indicating whether or not the agent is busy servicing a customer.
The customer service representative phone number information 334
and IP address information 336 identifies the phone number and IP
address of the computer being used by each customer service
representative. The customer representative phone number
information can be used by the automated call distribution (ACD)
routine 338 to formulate customer service call initiation messages
in response to call request messages received from customers.
The automated call distribution routine 338 is responsible for
processing received call request messages. When a call request
message is received, the ACD routine 338 identifies an available
customer service representative, or one that will be available in
the near future, using, e.g., the customer service representative
availability information 337. The ACD routine then formulates a
customer service call initiation message using the telephone number
of the customer to be called and the telephone number of the
customer service representative assigned to handle the call. In
addition to assigning a customer service representative to handle
the call, the ACD routine also forwards to the assigned customer
service representative customer information and information about
the Web page that was being viewed by the customer at the time the
call request was initiated. This information may be transmitted to
the assigned customer representative computer over the Internet or
a LAN.
FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary web page 400 of the present
invention being displayed on the display 202 of computer system 36.
The Web page 400 is displayed by the customer's Web browser 220
after being received over the Internet from the Web server 52. As
illustrated, the page 400 includes a product
description/advertisement area 402, an add to shopping cart button
404, and a talk to customer service representative button 406.
In response to the activation of the talk to customer service
representative button 406, e.g., by double clicking on it, the Web
browser generates a call request message.
The display of Web page 400 occurs as part of the normal operation
of a customer's computer, e.g., while the customer is browsing the
Internet. FIG. 5 is a flow chart 500 illustrating the steps
performed by a customer's computer in accordance with the present
invention.
Computer operation starts in step 502 with the computer being
turned on. Operation proceeds to step 504 wherein the computer 36
executes the Web browser application 220. In step 506 the computer
36 receives web page selection information, e.g., a web site URL,
from the customer. This information may be entered, e.g., using
keyboard 208.
Next, in step 508, the web page corresponding to the site selected
by the customer is retrieved and displayed. In this manner, the Web
page 400, including the "talk to service representative" button may
be displayed to a customer.
In step 510, activation of the "talk to customer service
representative" button 406, e.g., by the customer clicking on the
button, is detected. Next in step 512, the computer system requests
that the customer provide the telephone number at which he/she
wishes to be called. In step 512, the request for the telephone
number is skipped if a telephone number has already been stored on
the customer's computer. From step 512 operation proceeds to step
513. In step 513 a call request message is generated.
The call request message is generated from information obtained
from the Web page as well as information provided by the customer.
For example, the call request message may include a Web server
address or the address of telephone conference equipment which was
obtained from the Web page 400 and, optionally, a business
identifier, obtained from the Web page 400. In addition it may
include a customer telephone number and/or customer identifier. In
the case where voice over IP is supported IP addresses may be
provided in the place of telephone numbers. Call request messages
may also include Web page information, information on the time the
customer wishes to be contacted and additional information such as
a brief note from the customer indicating the purpose or planned
subject of the call.
In accordance with the present invention, the Web page will
normally include information identifying the contact address, e.g.,
the address of a Web server or conference equipment, to be used
when sending a call request message. The contents of the call
request message may vary depending on whether the message is being
sent to a Web server or telephone conference equipment.
FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary call request message 700 which is
generated when the Web page 400 includes a Web server address as
the contact address for call request messages. The exemplary call
request message 700 includes a Web server address 702, customer
telephone number 704, web page information 706, desired contact
time information 708 and additional information, e.g., a brief
message from the customer. Customer identification information may
also be included in the message 700. In cases where customer
identification information is provided and the Web server has a
contact telephone number stored for the customer, the customer
telephone number may be omitted from the message.
FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary call request message 900 which is
generated when the Web page 400 includes a telephone conference
equipment address as the contact address for call request messages.
As illustrated, the exemplary call request message 900 includes the
telephone conference equipment address 902, a business identifier
904 which is normally obtained from the Web page 400, web page
information 906, a customer telephone number 908, customer service
representative information 910, and desired contact time 912.
The customer service representative information 910 is an optional
service representative identifier which may be obtained from the
Web page 400 being viewed at the time the customer activates the
call request button. A business can assign different customer
service representatives by incorporating different customer service
representative information into its different web pages. For
example a travel agency may use the customer service representative
information to assign a cruise expert to handle calls originating
from Web pages advertising cruises and an airline expert to Web
pages advertising flights.
Referring once again to FIG. 5, once the call request message has
been generated in step 513, operation proceeds to step 514. In step
514, the generated call request message is transmitted via the
Internet to the Web server or conference equipment, e.g., telephone
or voice over IP conference equipment, to which it is
addressed.
From step 514 operation proceeds to step 516 wherein additional
customer input is processed by the computer, e.g., additional web
pages are accessed in response to input from the user. Operation
stops in step 518, e.g., when the customer turns off the
computer.
The method of the present invention as applied to a business Web
server 52 will now be described with reference to FIG. 6. As
illustrated in FIG. 6, operation of the Web server 52 begins in
step 602 with the system being activated. In step 604 the Web
server 52 provides an Internet user, e.g., customer, accessing a
web site hosted by the Web server, a web page. In step 606, the Web
server 52 detects a call request message from a customer. The
received call request message is processed in step 608 with the Web
server 52 identifying a customer service representative to service
the call request. This may be done using the ACD routine 338. Once
a customer service representative has been identified, e.g.,
assigned, to service the call request, a customer service call
initiation message is generated in step 609. The customer service
call initiation message includes information used by telephone
conference equipment, to which the message is directed, to initiate
and bill the customer service call.
FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary customer service call initiation
message 800. As illustrated, the message 800 includes a telephone
conference equipment address 802, a business identifier 804, a
password 806, customer telephone number 810, customer service
representative telephone number 812 and desired contact time
information 814. In the case of voice over IP, the customer
telephone number 810 and customer service representative telephone
number 812 are replaced with Interent, e.g., IP addresses, for the
customer and customer service representative, respectively.
The business identifier 804 identifies the business requesting that
the call be initiated. Normally the identified business will be
billed for the cost of the customer service call. Password 806 is
used to confirm that it is actually the identified business
requesting the call and not a computer hacker. The customer
telephone number 810 and customer service representative telephone
number 812 are the telephone numbers to be used when establishing
the customer service call. Desired contact time 814 indicates the
desired time of the customer service call. If this field is left
blank or omitted, customer service calls are initiated by the
calling equipment as soon as possible.
Referring once again to FIG. 6, once the customer service call
message is generated, it is transmitted in step 610, e.g., over the
Internet, to calling equipment which is responsible for initiating
the customer service call between the customer and customer service
representative.
In step 612, the Web server 52 supplies customer information,
including information on the Web page or pages which were being
viewed by the customer, to the customer service representative who
was selected to handle the call. The information may be transmitted
to the customer service representative's computer via the Internet
or a local area network. Then in step 614, the Web server receives
information from the customer service representative relating to
the customer service call. The information may be, e.g., purchase
order information, a complaint or some other information. The
information is transmitted from the customer service representative
computer to the Web server 52 via the Internet or the local area
network.
In step 616, the information received from the customer service
representative is Processed by the server 52 prior to Web server
operation being stopped in step 618.
As discussed above, rather than transmit customer service call
request messages to a Web server, they can, and in some embodiments
are, transmitted directly to calling equipment. Call request
messages of the type illustrated in FIG. 9 include sufficient
information for calling equipment to initiate and bill for a
customer service call in accordance with the present invention.
By having the business Web server receive call request messages
instead of the calling equipment, the business using the calling
service can have greater control of the assignment of calls to
particular service representatives as well as control over which
calling equipment, when several calling devices are available, will
be used to handle individual calls.
While the term customer has been used herein to refer to an
individual browsing the Internet and seeking to contact a business,
it is to be understood that this term is to be interpreted broadly
and is not limited to individuals who actually place orders with
the business which is contacted. In addition, the term calling
equipment is to be interpreted broadly as including IPs, telephone
switches, conference bridges, and other devices capable of
establishing customer service calls or bridging calls so that two
parties may conduct a telephone call over telephone lines or a call
using voice over IP.
Numerous variations on the above described methods and apparatus
are possible without departing from the scope of the invention.
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